ISU vs Iowa Position Debate

[mitchforcy]

QB: I think this one is a push, Arnaud and Stanzi both have their strengths as passers and both have their weaknesses. Arnaud still struggles with throws over the top of linebackers which he demonstrated on Thursday. Stanzi had a good game against showing that he has improved from last season in not trying to force anything and he had no picks but ISU has a much better secondary than EIU does so we will see. But I think Arnaud has more potential than Stanzi does he just has to play like he did in the first half all the time.

RB: ISU. I think Alexander the great is by far the best running back on either team but Iowa has a very good 1 2 punch with Robinson and Hampton. But I think this could be a push because Iowa has more proven depth at this point than we do.

WR/TE: Iowa. This is Iowas most talented and deepest receiving core since 2002. Iowa has two dangerous and proven playmakers in DJK and Marvin McNutt and some very talented experienced backups in sandeman, Kennan Davis, and cheney. They also have a very deep and talented tight end corps with Reisner, Herman, and Fiedorowicz. We have some very talented receivers in Darks, Johnson, Money, Williams, and Lenz but they have yet to really prove they can make plays on a consistent basis. Franklin is nice weapon for us but really has no one behind him.

OL: ISU. Our O-Line looked decent but not great against NIU but has a lot of experience and will definitely improve as the season goes on and KO and Lamak are very good. Iowa has a ton of talent on the O Line but they are fairly inexperienced but they could very likely end up being better than our O Line but until then ISU has the edge.

DL: Iowa. This one really isn't up for debate, Iowa is just so dominate and deep up front. Klug, Binns, Ballad, and Clayborn will all be all big ten at the end of the year and are all extremely disruptive. I think our D Line is improved from last years D Line but still is one of the weak points of the team. Rump and Johnson are nice players but aren't world beaters and will struggle at times. Parker and Neal have a lot of experience but are very small and will get worn down come big 12 play.

LB: Iowa. This one is close but the edge goes to Iowa. Iowa has two new linebackers in Tarpinian and Neilson but have been in the system for 5 and 4 years so they know the system well. They certainly won't replace Edds and Angerer but they are very good and they have 3rd year starter Hunter returning. We have a lot of talent in our linebacking corps but that talent is very young and will make some mistakes along with some good plays. But with lack of experience with have a upgrade in athleticism which can make up for some inexperience but we should expect some mistakes early on.

DB's: Iowa. Iowa has one of the better secondarys in the nation with Sash, Greenwood, Prater, and Hyde and IMO the best corner and safety between the two teams in prater and Sash. Hyde has a ton of potential but got burnt a couple times against EIU and made some good plays but that is to be expected with youth. We have some very good talent in the backfield with LJ and Sims. Sims is one of the better SS's in the nation and can cover and bring the wood in the run game. But O'Connel and Benton can be picked on in the pass game. This one is close but Iowa just has too much depth at this position.

Kickers: Push. Mahoney can be a very good kicker but has been very inconsistant as of late much like Murray for Iowa.

Punter: Iowa. Next

KR/PR: ISU. LJ and Sims are just too dangerous here while DJK is dangerous we just have many more dangerous options.

Offense: ISU
Defense: Iowa
Special Teams: Iowa

What do you got

 

[RossHallHero]

QB is not a push unless you're an ISU fan. 99% of the people who know anything about football would take Stanzi over Arnaud.

I also think that Iowa's db's are completely over-rated.

Sims is probably the best player on either team.

I agree with the rest of your list.

 

[hippiehawk]

That analysis is actually pretty generous to Iowa.

I would have given Iowa an edge at WR before the weekend, but DJK and McNutt were AWOL against EIU and so my confidence in them has dipped somewhat.

I don't think there's much of a chance that Iowa's OL will be as good as ISU's this season -- Ferentz in particular is a liability with his lack of size and outside of Reiff, the OL struggle to get push in the run game. Blitz pickup looks like an issue as well. Gettis has supposedly improved but got owned in pass protection in his only start last year against UNI, so we'll see on 9/11 if that's really the case.

Prater could be the best corner between the two teams, but is not 100% at this point and so that has to factor in. I imagine Sash and Sims are pretty close to even.

I hope your analysis is more accurate than mine, of course.

 

[hippiehawk]

\

I also think that Iowa's db's are completely over-rated.

Sims is probably the best player on either team.

Best player or best DB?

 

[Rhoadhoused]

Best player or best DB?

Ya I'm would think Clayborn is the best overall player, pretty much without a doubt.

 

[ClimbIowa]

QB: I think this one is a push, Arnaud and Stanzi both have their strengths as passers and both have their weaknesses. Arnaud still struggles with throws over the top of linebackers which he demonstrated on Thursday. Stanzi had a good game against showing that he has improved from last season in not trying to force anything and he had no picks but ISU has a much better secondary than EIU does so we will see. But I think Arnaud has more potential than Stanzi does he just has to play like he did in the first half all the time.

It's probably a push unless one rates Arnaud with the rbs too. As far aa straight passing ability I think Arnaud has closed a gap that opened between the two last year. He looks like he can throw the ball with confidence again this year.

 

[Tre4ISU]

QB-Push considering systems. We need AA. He runs the ball hard. Both can make big mistakes. In each system, they are a push

RB-Push. Alexander is better but Iowa is proven deeper.

WR-Probably Iowa but I think it's close.

TE-Iowa but Franklin could be good.

Oline-From what I saw in each game, push.

Dline-Iowa. Next

LBs-Again, likely Iowa, but they lack in coverage skills and we haven't seen our guys play much.

Secondary-Push. Sims is the best player in the backfield on either team. At least he was. I think LJ is a better cover corner that either of the two Iowa DBs. Sash is better than any option we have a FS.

ST-Iowa all around with the exception of punt return. I'm sorry, I just can't get myself to believe Mahoney is that great.



The best part of all these comparisons is they don't matter. It hasn't mattered for a long time.

 

[ClimbIowa]

Ya I'm would think Clayborn is the best overall player, pretty much without a doubt.

They may all be mediocre at best, but I think there are a number of guys on these rosters with a chance to make an NFL impact. Clayborn, Ballard, Sims, AxRob, and Reiff (to a lesser degree) all have proven to me that they are solid college players with NFL quality athletic potential.

 

[G-Rock]

Secondary-Push. Sims is the best player in the backfield on either team. At least he was. I think LJ is a better cover corner that either of the two Iowa DBs. Sash is better than any option we have a FS.

Sash is a SS and no one but ISU fans would put Sims ahead of him. Sash is on almost every preseason All-American team.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

Sash is a SS and no one but ISU fans would put Sims ahead of him. Sash is on almost every preseason All-American team.

That is only because he is on the defense of a top ten team. Their stats were nearly identical last year. Sims had 4 more tackles and a forced fumble, Sash had one more pick. They are pretty even.

 

[CloneFan319]

I know its early but Im kinda excited to see what Jerome Tiller at QB and Shontrelle Johnson at RB can do in this system next year. Both are very fast and the ISU players have said that Jerome is a batter passer and gets more behind his throws. I know its early but I just thought of that. I love both Arnaud and A-Rob

 

[dualthreat]

the QB position was FAR from a push last year. Our QB got benched.

But, arnaud can totally redeem himself by managing the game better this year. I'd still think Stanzi is a better fit for Iowa, but not necessarily better.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

the QB position was FAR from a push last year. Our QB got benched.

But, arnaud can totally redeem himself by managing the game better this year. I'd still think Stanzi is a better fit for Iowa, but not necessarily better.

When was that.

 

[kingcy]

The kicking game is a push? Really? The NI kicker out kicked ours on kickoffs. Iowa is far better than ISU in special teams.

 

[briankaldenberg]

QB: Iowa - Stanzi, but it is closer than many think. Arnaud just makes too many mistakes.

RB: ISU best RB, but Hampton is real close. Hard to really say who is better at this point in the season because we haven't seen Hampton at 20 carries per game. As a unit I say Iowa gets the nod.

OL: Iowa

WR: I think as an entire unit this is closer to a draw. Iowa has probably the best WR overall with DJK. Iowa States entire unit looks impressive though.

TE: Iowa

DL: Iowa

LB: Iowa

DB: Draw - I too think Iowa's DB's are overrated at this stage in the game, and our safeties aren't gamebreakers on pass defense. If we are grading on rushing defense then Iowa's secondary is better, but I've yet to see anything out of Iowa's secondary to grant them anywhere close to elite status. They are more beneficiaries of a top 5 in the nation Dline.

Punter: Iowa
Kicker: Iowa
Special Teams: Iowa

 

[Matt92x]

QB- Draw. I am counting Arnaud's runing ability. Because of his legs, I almost give us an edge here.

HB- ISU by a little. Alexander outshines both Hampton and Adam R. Together tho, they give him a run for his money.

TE/WR- Iowa by a little. The TE may be a tie if Franklin plays like last week, but DJK and McNutt are better than anybody we got. They seem to drop off a bit after that, tho, so ISU closes the gap with their 3rd-5th wr.

OL- Tie. KO is a monster. Iowa always has a good Oline, but this year they are a little down.

DL- Iowa by a lot. KO may be able to neutralize clayborn a bit, but they still outclass anybody CPR can thro out their on our DL.

LB- Tie. Both are pretty green. I think ours are a little more talented, but Iowa holds a little more experience (backups for 2/3 years instead of just 1).

DB- Tie. Sims is much more of an athlete than Sash, and outside the Arnaud game of catch, he didn't have many picks last year. But I give them a push. FS is even. O'connell and Greenwood are both smart but uninspiring. The corners, LJ is the best of either team but Iowa's corners are both better in coverage than Benton. He is pretty good in run support tho, so I will give that a tie aswell.

ST- Iowa by a little. Mahoney is inaccurate and dangerous on his PAT's. Our punters first punt went 18 yards. until it gets better, I give Iowa the kicking edge. They also get after punts pretty well.

Off- Even (maybe a little edge to ISU)
Def- Iowa by a good margin, unless the defense seasons up and fixes the arm tackle, then just by a little bit.

 

[burky247]

QB- I'm going to say a draw as well. It's hard to compare them side by side when they are different types of QB's.

RB- Very slight edge to ISU.

WR/TE-Iowa. Tons of depth. They will be utilized much more Saturday than they were yesterday.

OL- ISU.

DL- Iowa

LB- Push. I think Tarp comes back otherwise I would have put this in ISU's column.

DB- slight edge to Iowa. Getting Prater back gives Iowa the edge.

ST- slight edge to Iowa . Still unsure about fg kicking since Mossbrucker didn't attempt anything but PAT's. But Donahue is one of the best and Iowa has a good punt blocking unit.

 

[dualthreat]

how about this:

ISU QB vs Iowa DBs = Iowa DBs
ISU RB vs Iowa LBs = ISU RB
ISU OL vs Iowa DL = Iowa DL
ISU WR vs Iowa CB = I think ISU's WR are better, but will be out coached

Iowa QB vs ISU DBs = Very close here, Stanzi will probably have around 180-220 yards passing
Iowa RB vs ISU LBs = Very close here again, Adam Rob will probably rush for 100 yards on 25 carries
Iowa WR vs ISU corners = Ter'ran Benton is going to have to step up big time to cover McNutt LJ should hold his own against either McNutt or DJK
Iowa OL vs ISU DL = Iowa OL

I think iowa state matches up fairly well. We need to find an answer to that PA to TE or PA to full back out of the backfield or PA to WR running deep. If we can pressure Stanzi, something tells me he will throw into coverage...

We are going to need to pull out all the stops to get into the endzone. Herman needs to get a gameplan for these guys. No reason, with our offense, we can't spread them out and sling one into the endzone. We are a good enough team to score twice and find the redzone twice more. Iowa 24 ISU 20

 

[RustShack]

Iowa is the better team, but I think we match up well enough to beat them. They have a great defense, but they will have a hard time stopping our spread offense. They have a pretty decent offense, but I think our defense is good enough... with the talent to be pretty good(well the DL isn't quite there... but I wouldn't say Iowa has a great OL anyways). It will come down to the teams kickers.

 

[CYphyllis]

Sash is a SS and no one but ISU fans would put Sims ahead of him. Sash is on almost every preseason All-American team.

Until you look at their stats from last year and see they are nearly identical.

Sims - 88 Tackles/5 int/3 FF
Sash - 86 Tackles/6 int/2 FF